The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-22

THE BOGUS "MAJOR'S" BRIEF
CAREER IN NEW ORLEANS.
He Starts to Found Military Acade-


CAREER IN NEW ORLEANS.
He Starts to Found Military Acade-
my, Skips Off to a Commission
House and Winds Up in Jail The
Swell He Cut in the Crescent City
With a Gold Chain and Waterbury
Watch.
"Major" B. J. Burgess is in trouble again,
this time in New Orleans, where he is just Out
of jail The 'Majah' lighted in the Crescent
City about three weeks ago as a Colonel.
He said that he came from Chicago, and de-
signed opening military academy in New
Orleans. He took lodgings in fashionable
quarter, and after looking about a few days
he completed arrangements for the lease of
a large building at the low rate of 500 per
month, and sent out circulars for the
Crescent Military A ademy," of which he
announced himself as Principal.
One of the circulars found its way to Sa-
vannah, and the MORNING NEWS made note
of the Major and his new enterprise.
LAYING THE WIRES.
Whether this had the effect of causing
him to alter his intentions or not is not
known, but a few day after that he
leased store in the business
centre of New Orleans, stating that he in
tended to open a wholesale grocery and
commission house. He purchased hand
some oilcloth for the Office floor, bought
desks and office furniture, hired
for all of which he promised to pay. Then
he engaged four young and active men as
commercial travellers to solicit consignments
from the country, had bill and letter heads
printed, not even paying for the paper, and
sent his employees out on the road.
He put on good deal of style, and being
glib talker, with any amount of cad
| dress, he succeeded in establishing himself
very fairly among those whom he met.
PUTTING ON STYLE.
He dressed we'll and wore neat gold
chain, to the pocket end of which was at
tached a "Waterbury.n He succeeded in
| putting himself on terms with quite num-
Der of society people, and was about con-
summating the purchase of a horse and
| jumper-all except paying for it, when his
career was cut short by his arrest.
The PtcGy1tne devoteS a column to the
Majors" methods Of business. His firm
name was Burgess & Co. His staff con-
sisted of four solicitors, Messrs John
| Olmondicker, j. Brown, w. Z. Laudner
and another young man. The latter was
| sent out on commission to pay his own ex-
penses. Olmondicker was given a check on
the Germania Bank for S65, and was in
| structed to go to Chicago to make pur-
| chaSeS and ship goods to Burgess & Co.
Laudner was handed SIS in cash and given
a check for $50. Olmondicker Endorsed his
check and a Mr.. Bitterwolf cashed it, as it
was after banking hours and on Saturday
night. Laudner was given his $50 check on
the previous Wednesday, and a Mr. Searcy,
in whose presence the check was uttered,
kindly consented to have it cashed, and
applied to a saloon and obtained the money.
FIXING UP MATTERS.
On the next morning Burgess appeared
at the saloon bright and early, and asked
| the holder of the check not to present the
same at the bank as he had
drawn the money and deposited it in another
| bank in the name of the firm of Burgess &
| Co. The 500 check was arranged; but that
| held by BitterwOlf was not Burgess called
on Bitterwolf the following Monday morn
| ing and acknowledged having issued the
check and asked the holder not to present
| it, and he would settle on Friday, Nov. Is.
| Burgess solicitors meantime had started
| on the road and arranged for a number of
| consignnentS. principally lumber. Every
| mill in Lake Charles La, promised to send
| lumber. One car load was shipped from
| Plaquemine, La, and several others We're
promised. Sawmill owners at Hammond
| anu independence Ol bllo lllllOlS NItnUTdl
railroad also agreed to send consignments
and fourteen bales Of moss were shipped to
| Burgess & Co.
| ORDERED GOODS RIGHT AND LEFT.
Burgess ordered a bill of 500 worth of
! broomS, buckets, tubs, etc, but the firms
| became suspicious and would not send the
goods until they We're paid for He
also succeeded in arranging with the Plea
yune saw mill for the shipment of seven
carloads of lumber, which he sold and for
| warded to the Seaboard Lumber Company.
of New York. He deposited the bills
of lsding and a draft on the New York firm
| in bank, but could raise no money on the
| shipment. The fourteen bales of
moss, however, Burgess sold for $S7, and
making out bill, presented it and received
a check on the Peoples Bank, which he had
cashed. Laudner, who had solicited the
| consignment, was in tue city at the time,
and DESTROYS of protecting his clients, insti-
tuted inquiries. Burgess stated that he had
paid the money to a bank in which he had
an Overdraft, but Informed Mr.. Laudner
that he had plenty OF money, and that his
wife was exceedingly wealthy in Virginia,
where he also had rich brother.
NOT NIGGARDLY WITH CHECKS.
Burgess purchased goods right and left
but none were delivered, and he was
not at all niggardiy i'll issuing checks on
|
| He sought to open an account with the Peo-
pies Bank, but the President refused to
have anything to do with him and he
tried the same thing elsewhere. How far
he might have gone cannot be stared,
had he not been arrested. On the day of his
arrest he had promised to settle
accordingly he was arrested.
Accompanied by Mr.. Laudner he went to
the Central station, and renewing his pro-
testatioHs, Mr.. Laudner, who was well and
| favorably known, succeeded i'll obtaining
his release for a tmc, becoming personally
responsible for Burgess The latter was
then taken to BitteFwolfs house, and Iaud-
ner set out to ascertain whether Burgess
had an account at any OF the banks, i'll order
that he might draw money and settle the
sos check He could find no money any
where to Burgess & Co.'S credit and the
firm was then taken TO Jail and charged
| will pDfoipirtr ,,tpppV NV 70